Dear Harry James Potter,
by RileyMLG
Summary: I guess the main point of this letter is that your father and I love you, and will continue to love you even if we're not here to say it. This is the story about James and my's evolving relationship and how I want you to know me.


She was a beautiful woman. With long red hair that looped and curled in a long blanket and frizzed when it rained and bright emerald eyes that contrasted playfully, Lily Rose Potter (née Evans) was as lovely on the outside as inside. In a ordinary universe, she would have gotten married to a handsome and caring young man and have the child she so desperately hoped for, and nothing would go wrong.

In a universe not controlled by Lord Voldemort, that is.

Oh, of course, she got all those things- it would be a crime for a woman as pure and kind as her to be denied such. She'd been in love with her now-husband for three years (not including the six years in which she pretended to hate him with a burning passion) so far and was quite ready to start a family. The world wasn't as ready as her, so she had to delay her dreams for the time being.

Lily Potter was twenty years old, in love, married, and very, very pregnant. Harry. Little Harry James Potter was currently inside her, waiting one more month to greet the world. They weren't expecting to have a baby, but never the less, were overcome with joy when they heard the news of a third Potter. Lily gently patted her ballooning tummy as she was propped upright against pillows, late at night. James was out on a mission for the Order, and, as usual, Lily was wide awake, anxiously waiting his return. She could never sleep if James wasn't there.

Though, quite unusual, she was not laying down, at least pretending to sleep, maybe for the cat's benefit more than anything else. No, Mrs. Potter was wide awake, balancing an ink pot on her round stomach and chewing absentmindedly on the end of a quill.

They were being hunted by Lord Voldemort. The fact wasn't hidden away from Lily. In fact, Albus Dumbledore actually told Lily before he informed her husband. James was, again, on another mission, and during the Order meeting, that lacked less people than usual, (due to said mission, and a few deaths) Dumbledore dismissed everyone early and asked to speak to Lily alone. Sirius Black, James' best friend and brother of all but blood, waited outside the door to deliver her to her house safely- as requested by James. She was four months along and James was extremely overprotective (not that his protectiveness faded with time, mind you).

After several minutes of low discussion with Dumbledore, Lily stepped out of the room and into the hallway where Sirius was waiting.

"Hey, Red, do you have any more of that chocolat- hey, what happened?" Sirius asked anxiously, the grin sliding off his handsome face as soon as he saw the look on hers.

"Not here," she gasped, tears streaming out of her green, almond shaped eyes. He simply nodded, put his arm around her, and Side-Along Apparated the both of them to her and James' little cozy house in Godric's Hollow.

"Oh, Merlin," Lily mumbled into Sirius shoulder as he steered them to the couch in the living room. "we don't have any enchantments up yet- he could get in at any moment- James! James needs to come home! No, he needs to stay on the mission, he can't come here, it isn't safe- oh, Merlin, _my child_!" she sobbed incoherently.

Sirius just sat with her until she got all her babbling out.

"Lils, what happened? What did Dumbledore tell you?" he finally asked, his dark brow creasing with worry.

"He- he wants my baby. He wants my _baby_!"

His expression turned to one of rage. "Voldemort?"

The tears flowed in uninterrupted streaks as Lily nodded her answer.

"Why?"

The question was ringing through both of the twenty-year-old's minds at the moment. What would Lord Voldemort want with a baby who wasn't even born yet?

He had his malicious, twisted reasons, which is why Lily Rose Potter was sitting up in bed, writing a letter to her unborn son.

_Dear Harry James Potter,_

_ I know this is cliché, but if you're reading this, your father and I are dead. Or, Voldemort is gone and we're all having a big laugh about the over dramatics of this letter... right. Well, in any case, I, your mother, and writing you a letter to tell you how much I love you and about myself. I don't want you growing up without knowing me, and having this letter prepared to give to you will give me a bit of peace._

_ At the moment, your father is being a hero and is out on another mission for the Order. (A secret organization formed by Albus Dumbledore- of course, you'll know all about this by now.) So, instead of sleeping (which is bloody impossible right now, because you're kicking the life out of me in all your eight-month glory, thank you very much.), I want to tell you about myself and your father, in case we're no longer around to tell you in person._

_ Of course, you should know by know, you're a wizard. In the case you read this without us, you'll be with your legal guardian, my close friend and your dad's partner-in-crime, Sirius Black, who's also a wizard. If not him, you'll be with Remus, or Peter, or Alice and Frank, or... well, you get the point. You already have lots of people who love you._

_ I was born with muggle parents. They both have passed away within the last three years, and it's one of my biggest regrets that you'll never meet them. They'd love you, Harry James. They're almost as obsessed with magic as I am._

_ I have a sister, you know. She's a muggle. Her name's Petunia, though she has a different view on magic than my parents. Her husband (your uncle), Vernon, is as muggle as you can be. They just had a son, actually. He's your age. I'm sure you'll get along great (sarcasm intended). I love Petunia dearly, though we don't correspond any more. We always send each other Christmas gifts, though! I've just gotten a horrendous vase this year, I'm sure you can't wait to smash it up with the toy broomstick James insisted on getting you the minute I found out I was pregnant. Petunia was always... hesitant about magic. My mum said she was jealous, but I think she was a little bit afraid. And jealous._

_ James came from a pure blooded family. He's an only child, something that's even worse than the strained relationship I have with Petunia. Don't worry, dear, I plan on giving you a sibling. His father was the Head of the Auror Department, something I sort of... used against him while we were younger, as everyone thought he could do no wrong just because of who his father was. Of course, now, I regret thinking such things and Charlus was an amazing man. Dorea, James' mother, was absolutely lovely, of course. He has her eyes. I only wish you could have met them too, they were extraordinary witches and wizards._

_ When I got my Hogwarts letter, I was amazed, but not entirely surprised. When I was ten, I had a friend in my neighborhood who had a witch for a mother and a muggle father. This friend, named Severus, approached me while I was playing at the park with Petunia and told me I was a witch. Not knowing what that was, Petunia and I stalked off. We stayed up all night, trying to figure out what Severus meant. He just had a completely serious expression on his face and I knew then and there that he wasn't kidding; I really was a witch, whatever that meant. I went back to the park (without Petunia) the next day and he was there, brooding on a swing. He talked to me again, and without Petunia's influence, I responded and built my own opinion about the Snape boy who lived on Spinner's End. He told me about Hogwarts and magic and _everything_. We quickly became best friends, even though I was a muggleborn. So, when I got my letter, I was just happy more than anything else. Not exactly surprised, but ecstatic none the less._

_ I guess you could say my first year at Hogwarts was the year that changed my life the most. I met your father, for instance. I have to admit I took an immediate dislike to him and his friend, (your Godfather) Sirius. They taunted Sev a bit on the train ride there, so I decided I didn't like them. Right now, I can't find it in me to disagree with my decision, but don't worry- James has changed _loads_ since first year. Blimey, he's changed loads since sixth year! He used to be a real prat, but now he's the bravest man I know and I've never regretted my decision to marry him._

_ Alright, back to first year- I was sorted into Gryffindor. I was immediately disappointed, as Severus said Gryffindor was the worst house to be in, but my first impression quickly faded as I saw the smiling faces at the red and gold table compared to the somewhat creepy ones from the Slytherin table. Severus became a Slytherin, but he promised we could still be friends, even though we weren't in the same house._

_ James was sorted into Gryffindor too, along with his new friend Sirius. Other than us, two other first year Gryffindor's were Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew, who quickly became your dad and Sirius' other best friends. They called themselves 'The Marauders' because they constantly pulled pranks and got themselves into trouble. I was stuck between being impressed by their brilliant ideas and annoyed by their mischievous antics, so I settled on being impressed by Remus, Sirius, and Peter, and constantly bickering with James for being immature and irresponsible. Unfair of me, yes, but I was eleven and didn't know what to do with all of my feelings._

_ A few months after term started, I noticed Severus had started to hang around with new people. I was completely fine with it, actually, because it made me feel less guilty about being with my new friends as well. You'll meet Alice and Marlene soon, Harry. They were and remain my best friends and they're so excited to dote on you and spoil you rotten, which I have no aversion too. Severus' new friends, though, didn't seem as nice as Alice and Marlene, or nice in general. Still, I trusted Sev's judgment and was glad he found people he was happy to spend his time with._

_ It was second year when I really started to notice his friends. They were just... not nice. They would always call me a very bad name, a name you should never say, _ever._ They insulted my muggle heritage and my blood, called me worthless and unfit to study magic all in one word. I told Severus about it. I warned him not to associate with people like that, they'd pull him into the dark side quicker than you can say chocolate frog, but he just avoided the situation and continued acting like nothing was wrong._

_ In second year, your father went from bothering and pranking me constantly to showing off constantly. I don't know which was worse._

_ Third year was the year your dad started asking me out. I remember it was the first Hogsmeade weekend... Alice, Marlene, and I were enjoying a quick breakfast before heading off the the village. Being the only muggleborn out of both of them, and therefore, the only one who hadn't seen the village yet, I was bursting with excitement. I couldn't stop beaming. I even smiled at James when he sat down across from me with his friends. I guess he took that as a change of heart because he proceeded to ask me out right then and there. I _might_ have even said yes if he had asked in a better way. Instead, here's what, and I quote, exactly what he said._

_ "So, Evans, seeing as you don't have a date already, you want to come to Hogsmeade with me, yeah?"_

_ ...I pray to Merlin that you have more tact than your father, Harry. After Sirius and Marlene stopped laughing, I kindly threw pumpkin juice in his face and stormed off. Sirius told me in fifth year that he was planning on asking me... in a nicer way, but he froze up and covered it up with arrogance._

_ On that note, Operation-Flower was underway. That's what your father called his plan to ask me out until A, I killed him, B, I killed myself, of C, I killed an innocent bystander out of irritation and got carted of to Azkaban. Or, you know, until I said yes, but we both knew that was bloody unlikely._

_ Let me point out that Severus loathed The Marauders, James especially. James jokes that Sev was just jealous of Sirius' hair, but we both know it was because he liked me. Okay, that came out wrong. What I meant is, Severus had a bit of a crush on me and felt intimidated by James, so he decided to hate the lot of them and try to plot ways to get The Marauders expelled. I only ever liked Severus as a friend, and since he never brought up his own feelings, I was content to let the matter die and salvage what was left of our friendship. I mean, I was the only friend who's a girl that he had and it was only natural, right? His new Slytherin 'friends' made it virtually impossible to speak to him between classes and during meals. So, we mostly hung out on the weekends and during free periods. I was a bit disappointed that we were drifting further apart, as he was one of my three best friends, but I couldn't do anything about it, so I just sighed and went with it._

_ Fourth year, James' attempts grew more... creative. He'd recite poems, don suits of armor from the corridors, and enchant paper airplanes to tangle up in my hair, begging me for my love. How romantic. Disregarding the small part of me that wanted to say yes, I thwarted all his attempts with a nice, firm, loud 'no' (and maybe an insult or two. And a few hexes.). I feel bad about it now, but if I had gone out with him, say, in fourth year, we most definitely would have broken up, so I guess my rejections were a good thing in the end. He wasn't used to anyone rejecting him, and that's why I thought he only pursued me- because I was a challenge. It took a few years for me to realize that that most certainly not the case._

_ Fifth year came tumbling around quickly. I was so busy yelling at James and studying for O.W.L's that I didn't realize that Severus was avoiding me sometimes. I thought nothing of it- he was still my best friend, I reasoned, and he was probably just as busy studying as I was. So I ignored his friends' jeers and his absence and went about my business as usual._

_ After O.W.L's, I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Now I can spend more time with Alice and Marlene,_ and_ Severus and I could hang out again like old times! It would be perfect, right?_

_ It wasn't. Alright, I don't want you to hate your father after you read this, but as you know by now, he was a git. The biggest prat you know, multiplied by ten. So, naturally, after the exams, he went to do his favorite hobby- bullying Severus._

_ I saw James perform an unpleasant hex on my best friend, so naturally, I went to try to stop him. He just grinned at me, thinking that 'showing off' would get my attention. He then asked me out in an even more appalling way then the Hogsmeade time- he said he'd leave Snape alone if I went out with him. I was disgusted- did he really think blackmailing me into dating him was the right way to go? Although, even worse, after I made him let Sev go, Sev retaliated by slashing a cut in your father's cheek with a spell he invented._

_ It was heart breaking. Of course, I knew he would want to retaliate and I guess he was within his rights to, but he used _Dark Magic._ That might have been the breaking point for our friendship- the hatred I felt towards Snape when he used Dark Magic on James was nothing compared to the dislike I felt when James was just showing off, probably because no matter what, he would never even consider performing Dark Magic, and that's what really counts._

_ James, rightfully infuriated, used a spell to hang Severus from his ankle. It wasn't a Dark Spell, just, again, unpleasant and unnecessary. I yelled at James to let him go, and once he did, James made a comment that Severus was lucky I was there to stop him._

_ Then Severus called me a Mudblood. He was one of my best friends, the first magical friend I had, actually. He was the one who told me about Hogwarts and he was the first one to tell me that being muggleborn didn't matter. It really was over between us then- I just couldn't stand being in the same room as him after that, let alone friends._

_ James was apologetic later that night. He said he had no right to do that to Snape and that he was sorry that Snape hurt my feelings, '_althoughI should have seen it coming_', to use his words._

_ I punched him, breaking his nose, and went up to my dormitory for the rest of the evening, thinking about the insane day I had just had._

_ Your father never complained about his nose. He didn't even tell anyone that I punched him- he told the mediwitch that he ran into a wall. Not because he was embarrassed, but because he didn't want me to get in trouble. That was the first time I noticed he wasn't all bad._

_ In sixth year, he was still a prat, but _much_ more toned down. He'd only hex people who _started_ the fights with him and he'd stop pranking me altogether, which was a huge improvement. He'd still ask me out every few weeks, though, so I couldn't completely be sure of his character change. I completely ignored Severus, even though he tried to be my friend again. I just couldn't rightfully be associated with someone who was going to be a Death Eater._

_ That summer was the summer that my parents passed away. Or, using the correct term, were murdered. Lord Voldmort's Death Eaters saw me as something like a threat, being the top of my classes, and apparently someone let it slip that I had become Head Girl. Well, they couldn't have a Muggleborn Head Girl, could they? The Death Eaters killed my parents the _one_ day I wasn't home- I was in Diagon Alley getting my new school things. A bit ironic, actually, because they probably wanted to kill me too, since they had the chance. Petunia was at her then-fiancee's (Vernon's) house, so she avoided the attack. I got home before her, luckily, and as soon as I saw the Dark Mark over my childhood home, I knew. I Apparated to Vernon's immediately to make sure Petunia was safe and quickly Side-Alonged her to the Ministry of Magic. It gave Vernon a nasty shock, too, as he wasn't aware of my... talents, yet._

_ I knew that it was too late for my parents. You should never go into a house with the Dark Mark over it, so that's the reason I instantly Apparated away. Once I burst through the first door I could find in the Ministry, towing a furiously confused Petunia behind me, I stopped dead in my tracks._

_ A man who looked exactly like the boy I loathed for the past six years of my life (but with bright blue eyes) was sitting at the desk in front of me with a bemused expression. Even worse, said boy (with the usual hazel eyes) was sitting in a chair across from me, the shock on my face mirrored on his._

_ I had just walked into Charlus Potter's office. Talk about an awkward moment._

_ "All right, Evans?" James finally said to me, the easy grin falling into place on his face, eyes sparkling with amusement._

_ "That's her?" Charlus asked with a similar grin._

_ James nodded. "So, I take it you didn't stop by to see me?" James prodded, standing up and crossing to where I was standing._

_ "My house has the Dark Mark on it and my parents were home." I said croaked loud enough for only him to hear me. "This is my sister- muggle,- and she has no idea what's going on, and frankly, neither do I."_

_ The grin slipped off his face in an instant. "Address?" he asked quickly, all jokes aside._

_ After giving him the necessary information, he spoke in a low voice to his father, who got a squad of Aurors to go... figure things out. All I can remember is James nudging me into the chair he was previously sitting in and handing me a cup of tea. I drank it without really tasting it. All I could hear were Petunia's sobs from the next room, James' constant stream of profanity about Death Eaters, and the blood rushing in my head. Sometimes during the exchange, James told me he was Head Boy. I couldn't even be properly surprised, as I was overcome with grief._

_ That afternoon was unbearable. It was confirmed that my parents were tortured to death simply for being muggles, and I had nowhere to go, as our house was blown apart with Dark Magic. Alice was staying with her boyfriend, Frank, for the summer and Marlene was on holiday with her parents. I had no relatives to stay with. Petunia moved in with Vernon and I was stuck for about fifteen minutes wondering where I would go. Until James saved me._

_ "You ready?" he asked quietly, handing me the coat I'd discarded earlier in the evening. My heart plummeted to my stomach- they were kicking me out of the office already. Trying to remember if I had any muggle money in my purse, I simply stared at him in confusion._

_ "Are you ready to leave?" he reiterated, never losing patience._

_ "Where should I go?" I asked._

_ His brow furrowed. "You're coming to my house, of course." he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world._

_ "Okay, I'll call- wait, what?"_

_ "Well, you already said you don't have any relatives to stay with, and your sister's staying with her boyfriend, and.." he trailed off, but we both know the unsaid words were hanging in the air. 'you have no where else to go'._

_ Not really in any position to argue, I took his arm and allowed him to Side-Along Apparate me._

_ Dorea Potter was lovely. She immediately welcomed me into her home and sent me along to the guest bedroom, which was, in fact, larger than the first floor of my old house._

_ That summer, I lived with my two worst enemies- James Potter and Sirius Black. Sirius had run away two summers ago, I found out. His parents had then disowned him. They were the bad type of people. Of course, James seemed like a different person- he was caring, sweet, and gentle. He allowed me to mourn in peace and said nothing when I snapped at him once in a while for no other reason than the fact I was irritated with the Death Eaters and he was there to take it out on. Sirius didn't help much, but he didn't hurt at all- his jokes kept me amused and my mind off my my parents. Two weeks after 'moving in', Hogwarts started and I jumped back into my old routine with a renewed eagerness._

_ I almost expected James to go back to being a prat, but he didn't. Of course, he and the other three Marauders stayed up ridiculously late playing atrociously loud games of Exploding Snap in the Head Common Room, but like an annoying pet, you learn to love them. More than once, they asked me to hang out with them, and we always had a splendid time. James stopped asking me out and though they still pranked people, is was much more light-hearted. No hexes, do you believe it? I still don't..._

_ The first visit to Hogsmeade came up and I was ecstatic. James always asked me out on the morning of the Hogsmeade visits, and that day was the first time I was planning on saying yes. After dressing in an outfit that wasn't particularly scandalous, I sat with Marlene while she shoveled food into her mouth and exclaimed none too quietly that she was happy I would finally go on a date._

_ Soon, the Marauders came into the Great Hall. Every girl was staring in jealousy, as it was common knowledge that James asked me out every Hogsmeade morning, and it just so happened that Marlene was going with Sirius for the day. The bloody celebrities of the school, they were. Never the less, James sat down and asked me the question._

_ "Lily?"_

_ "Yes?"_

_ "Pass the pumpkin juice, please."_

_ My jaw dropped. Sirius and Marlene, much like the incident in third year, burst into laughter. I confided in Marlene that I would say yes today and apparently it was my lovesick expression was evident enough for Sirius to recognize. Instead of throwing it in his face, I gently handed the jug of pumpkin juice to James, although I made sure a bit sloshed onto his hand. I can't be blamed for that, exactly._

_ He was in shock of why everyone was laughing (and in my case, blushing and seething in synchronization). He's bloody oblivious, Harry. If (I mean, when) a nice girl likes you, you better not be as ignorant as he was. I felt like I would die, I did._

_ As the fairytale goes, the noble night notices the fair princess' distress and, in my case, annoys the bloody hippogriffs out if me until I explode and tell him that I like him. It went something like... (well, it went exactly like this, it was the most important day of my life, do you really think I'm going to forget it?)_

_ "Lily." he called out to me. I walked faster._

_ "Lily." the git repeated._

_ "Evans." he tried, jogging to where I was._

_ "Red!" he finally resorted to saying to get my attention as I stalked ahead of him while we were doing patrols._

_ "That's what Sirius calls me." I bit out automatically before remembering I wasn't speaking to him. I was just too embarrassed- why had I just _assumed_ he's ask me out like usual? There wasn't any rule saying James Potter has to ask Lily Evans to Hogsmeade every morning that's scheduled for third years and up to visit! (although if there was, it'd be the only one he'd try not to break.)_

_ "I don't even know why you're mad at me!" he whined, trapping me in a dead end that had a wall pretending to be a door._

_ "I'm _not_ mad at you, Potter." I said icily, suggesting otherwise._

_ His eyebrows raised. "Back to surnames, are we, Evans?"_

_ I sighed. "I'm sorry. I just don't have a rational excuse for my anger and I'm taking it out on you."_

_ "So you are angry!"_

_ "Now I have a rational excuse- you're annoying the magic out of me. Can we just... not talk right now, please?" I begged. He looked hurt for a moment before shrugging and walking in front of me._

_ We continued patrolling like that for a half hour. It was the longest half hour of my life, I tell you._

_ "I thought you'd be happy," James finally burst out after a coercing a fifth year Hufflepuff couple out of a broom cupboard._

_ "About?"_

_ He stopped and stared at me. "I didn't ask you out. I _thought_ you'd be happy, especially considering you had a date."_

_ I gaped._

_ "Oh, come off it, Lily. Don't try to spare my feelings. I heard McKinnon giggling about your 'date' this morning at breakfast! I was going to ask you myself, but you were apparently preoccupied." he said really fast, hardly drawing in a breath. I saw him exhale at the end of his rant and he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as if he couldn't believe he had just blurted all that out._

_ "You're thick." was all I responded._

_"Gee, thanks." he rolled his eyes, walking past me again. I pulled on the back of his robes, yanking him to a halt._

_ "Marlene was excited for me to go on a date with _you_."_

_ He looked around. "Who?" he asked, mildly surprised._

_ I walked up to him. "You. I was going to say yes today, but you broke tradition."_

_ A look of disbelief crossed his face before breaking into a huge grin. "I guess I'll have to make up for it, then. Want to go to Hogsmeade, Evans?"_

_ "Of course I do! I hope you can wait two months, because that's when the next one is scheduled." I laughed, grabbing his hand._

_ "Let's just say, this'll be a private visit." and with that, he was pulling me down the hallway with the hand that was entwined with mine. We didn't have to run far, because at the end of the corridor, an ugly statue was stationed which James had some sort of code for, as it slipped to the side, revealing a chute._

_ Pulling a tattered cloak out of his pocket, he threw it over the both of us and jumped into the passageway with me behind him. I was almost rethinking agreeing- the bloke was trying to kidnap and kill me! Soon, we got to the end of the chute and he pulled me to my feet._

_ The I did something any sensible girl would do after being romantically brought to a mystery location by the guy she's in love with. I punched him in the face._

_ "Blimey, Lily! Stop doing that!" he yelled, laughing and clutching his bloody nose as he leaned against the wall for support. I immediately felt bad as I remembered this must be one of the secret passageways Sirius and the other Marauder's shouted about none too quietly in the Head Common Room._

_ "Oh, Godric! I'm sorry, James! I just panicked, I didn't know where we were... my apologies." I choked out, stifling laughter at the end. "Bloody Merlin, James, why are you laughing? You're making _me_ laugh!"_

_ "It's nothing," he assured._

_ "Tell me!" I giggled, leaning against the opposite wall to slow my heart beat._

_ "It's just that," he chortled, "after everything I've ever done to you- pranking, showing off, bullying your mates, everything- you've only punched me twice. And one of the times is when I try to take you on a proper date. I just can't win with you, Evans!" he doubled over in laughter, a spot of blood dripping onto the dank, concrete floor._

_ "Godric, James, your nose is broken!" I wheezed. "Why is this so funny?" I giggled, pulling him closer to me._

_ He just slung an arm around me and guided me through the tunnel, laughing all the way. Eventually I fixed his nose and we had a great time in Honeydukes (we left money on the counter, we didn't steal, I swear!) and we were sitting on the ledge of a fountain. James teased me lightly about who knows what and I accidentally nudged him into the ice cold fountain. After a moment of spluttering, he cast a warming charm over the water and pulled me in with him. I can remember so clearly just floating in the warm fountain for hours, right until dawn, talking about everything and nothing at the same time, holding your father's hand and thinking that maybe breaking the rules was okay, _sometimes._ Especially if you get a laugh out of it._

_ Er, scratch that. I mean, we didn't go through any secret tunnel, we went straight back to the common room after patrols and respectfully shook hands goodnight. (Okay, fine, the Hogsmeade story might be true, but if you live with Sirius, he'll be corrupting you enough without me helping!)_

_ In all seriousness, I knew from the moment James tugged me into the passageway that a life with him would be a life of adventure, laughter, and danger, and I allowed myself to be pulled in with him._

_ One day, it'll all make sense. You'll find a girl that you'll be mad about, and there will come a time when you have to choose between keeping her, and keeping her safe. You alone will know the right thing to do. (Just a spot of wisdom from your dear old mum!)_

_ I tell you, that was the most important day of my life, but the funniest day of my life was the next. You should have seen the corridor when we walked down, hand-in-hand: it was silent. You could have heard a knut drop. Open-mouthed but speechlessed students stared as James and I went though the day, grinning like a pair of third years after their first trip to Hogsmeade. Well, it was after my first trip to Hogsmeade. My first trip with James._

_ You'd better turn out exactly like him, Harry. Well, not exactly- I think you could do without being a prat for your first few years at school. What I mean is, you'd better be a thoughtful, sweet boy, even if James and I aren't there to raise you. I know you will be, though. A mother can tell._

_ James is convince you'll have my eyes. I hope you do, too. I'll bet my wand you'll have his eyesight, though. I'm sure your hair won't lay flat, either. I've learned to love James', so I guess I'll make do with yours, too._

_ Along with important and funny days, I think the happiest day of my life was when he asked me to marry him. It was more than his decision to taint his Pureblooded line- it was the fact that he was nervous when he asked me. James Bloody Potter is never nervous. _Ever._ So, that was brilliant, but I felt terrible knowing he was only nervous because I had rejected him so many times when he was a prat. He actually thought that I might say no. How thick can one eighteen-year-old be?_

_ Ah, yes. We were eighteen. Don't get married at eighteen unless you were as sure as I was. Or your probable doom is approaching. Alice had spontaneously married Frank during the Christmas holiday of seventh year. I was the Maid of Honor. It was beautiful, and funny, too. During the part where the priest says 'speak now, or forever hold your piece', I, being the most awkward person you'll ever know, happened to go into a coughing fit. I turned red as a tomato as the entire church turned to stare at me. James burst into laughter, making Sirius laugh, making Marlene laugh, making the entire bloody church chuckle. At least _some_ good came out of it, because as soon as the priest was sufficiently distracted quieting everyone down, I saw Frank and Alice sneak in a quick kiss. That may have been the sweetest thing I've ever seen. So, you're welcome, Alice. I hope my humiliation was worth it. (It really was. Although Frank's mother scolded me the second we were in the reception, I wouldn't have changed a thing. It was exactly how Alice's wedding should have been; light-hearted, fun, and bubbly, like her.)_

_ James and I danced at the reception and he asked me if I was planning on marrying him. I nodded. He only grinned and said 'I've been waiting my whole bloody life to hear that'. I asked him where the ring was, and do you sodding know what the prat said to me? He said 'waiting to present itself to you at the perfect moment'._

_ The entire rest of seventh year, I was a nervous wreck. When would he ask me? What if the perfect moment never came? What if he decided to ditch me and marry that Slytherin Prefect who'd been trying to patrol with him all year?_

_ Finally, the day of graduation, he asked me. As Head Boy and Girl, we had to make speeches and congratulate all the students for not blowing themselves up or something. The ceremony was scheduled to take place at nine in the morning, and then the train would take us back at eleven, like always._

_ So James bloody Potter tells me to close my eyes because he wanted to show me something. Warily, I cooperate and do you know where I find myself at eight fifteen in the bloody morning? Sodding Hogsmeade! He's just grinning at me and I lunge at him._

_ "You- prat! We're- going- to- be- late!" I accentuated every word with a weak slap to his chest, though I was smiling slightly._

_ "This is our last day at Hogwarts. Our last Hogsmeade day. I want to make the most of it." he simply said, guiding me towards the fountain. It's not very busy, but several people are giving us odd looks._

_ "I have the cloak," he muttered. "hold on-" and with that, the threw a dung bomb in the opposite direction of us, distracting everyone else and giving us an opportunity to put his Invisibility Cloak._

_ "Come on, let's go swimming!" his eyes sparked with mischief. I stared at him._

_ "Right before the ceremony? James, that's mad, we're going to look sloppy when we get back up to school."_

_ He just shrugged and pulled me in with him. We didn't need a warming charm on the water this time because it was June and it was pleasant... unlike me._

_ "James!" I shrieked, attracting the attention of some shoppers who looked around in wonder of the disembodied voice._

_ "We'll just cast a drying charm, no big deal." he shrugged. "Lily, you'll look perfect anyway, no one will notice if your robe is a little wrinkly._

_ I didn't respond. The way he said 'perfect' made me think he would finally ask me. We just floated in the huge, pool-like fountain right next to each other and the cloak around us for a few minutes like the mental cases we are before he finally spoke up._

_ "So, Evans, seeing as you don't have a fiancée already, you want to marry me, yeah?" he said, running a hand through his hair nervously, peeking out from under his glasses at me as he pulled a small box out of his pocket._

_ I was about two seconds away from hexing him. Honestly, I had my wand raised and everything. But then I remembered what he said when he first asked me out in third year: ("So, Evans, seeing as you don't have a date already, you want to come to Hogsmeade with me, yeah?")_

_ It _would_ be exactly like James to make a joke out of something as important as our engagement. But that's why I married him- I needed someone who made me laugh. In the present climate, nothing was more important than laughter and love. Instead of throwing pumpkin juice in his face like I did four years ago, I kissed him and said yes._

_ The rest, as you know, is history. The ring, of course, is gorgeous- it has a diamond in the middle and two little emeralds on the side that looked like my eyes staring out at me. He placed it on my finger and we just grinned at each other like idiots before I realized we had to get back to Hogwarts for the ceremony. James and I jumped out of the fountain (Merlin, I never thought I'd say that before) and pelted into Honeydukes and raced into the passageway. Giggling and stumbling into walls, we hastily dried ourselves and joined the small group that was starting to form on the grounds._

_ My hair was a mess while I gave my speech. There was still a big wet spot on James' robes, which Sirius teased him to no end about later. But the moment was important, funny, and most of all, perfect. Especially when I ended my speech, with a stroke of Gryffindor courage, with 'It's been an honor for me, Lily Evans-soon-to-be Potter, to be Head Girl this year'. I then swept my hair back with my left hand, making my new ring visible to all, and ran into James' arms. As usual, Sirius was laughing, Remus and Peter, who were obviously in on it as well, were grinning, and everyone else... was silent. Wide eyes, dropped jaws, the whole shebang just like when we first started dating- everyone was just so _shocked_. I started to feel self-conscious, but then Dumbledore started clapping. Hagrid joined in. Then Mr. and Mrs. Potter and Alice and Frank. My other dorm mates soon joined in, along with McGonagall and the rest of the staff. Everyone was applauding and a few people were wolf-whistling. I noticed Severus stalk away quickly, but I pushed that to the back of my mind. It was perfect._

_ The train ride was hectic. People kept asking me if I felt all right, and if I was hexed into saying yes. Some girls seemed a bit hopeful that it was all a joke. It wasn't. Thank Merlin it wasn't a joke._

_ That was the last time I saw most of them. A lot of people that I was close to joined the Order, though, and for that, I was thankful. I wasn't able to secure a real job because no one was hiring Muggle-borns, and James wanted to work full time for the Order, so that's what I did, too._

_ Our wedding was the most stunning day of my life. It was that Autumn. Multicolored leaves adorned the ground outside and as I walked down the isle into a grinning James' arms, I realized that somehow, I got to keep him forever. I also realized that my twelve-year-old self is probably going to spit on my grave. I don't care, I have James and I have love- what more do I need?_

_ People can change, Harry. I'm not who I was in second year. James certainly isn't who he was in second year. Alice and Frank aren't just best friends, Marlene and Sirius, the off-and-on-again couple, don't kick each other under the table at dinner anymore. I'm still not sure they exactly like each other, but it's a start. They've changed, too. Severus changed- he's not the best mate I used to know. Petunia changed- she didn't even come to my wedding._

_ The one thing that hasn't changed is the war. Neither side was winning yet, but James and I were doing anything we could to help. Going on missions weekly wasn't too relaxing, I'll tell you that. But, actually, narrowly escaping kidnapping and death- exactly how I imagined life married to James Potter. No, I'm serious._

_ We've encountered Voldemort three times. Each time as evil as the last, and each time he got madder still that we were alive. I won't go into details._

_ It's one of the reasons he wants you. There's this prophecy that he heard that said the child born to parents who defied him three times and said child is born at the end of the seventh month, that person will have the power to destroy him. Sorry 'bout that. I knew I should have stayed home the last time. But, if you're really The Chosen One, you'll be able to defeat him, right? So, you have nothing to worry about. Except everything. More on that later. Or never. Preferably never._

_ I guess the main point of this letter is that your father and I love you, and will continue to love you even if we're not here to say it. This is the story about James and my's evolving relationship and how I want you to know me._

_ The best day of my life so far was telling James I was pregnant. I was scared when I first found out- how was I supposed to bring a sweet, innocent child into this twisted world where I'm scared to even leave my home?_

_ James just burst into laughter and said that any child of ours will have nothing to worry about- they're a force of nature already. Who would have thought that James Potter and Lily Evans would have a baby? Well, James always knew, but it came as a shock to the rest of the world._

_ So, there you have it. My childhood in a nutshell. I'd hate for you to grow up without me, in any way, so this quenches my worries. Just a bit. You're still never leaving my sight. _Ever.

_ With all my love, your mum, Lily Potter_

Lily Rose Potter (née Evans) sealed the envelope after signing her love, and whisked into her pocket. Every day, where ever she went, Lily always had the envelope on her person so if she were to pass, it could be found and given to her son.

Harry James Potter never did receive the letter his mother wrote to him when he wasn't yet an actual person. Sirius may have found it when he discovered the rubbish that was left of his best friend's and wife's house on that fateful Halloween, but knowing Sirius, he could have lost it. You know, avenging Peter Pettigrew was above keeping a letter addressed to an infant safe.

But Harry was loved by Lily immensely and he knew it, even though he didn't know her life story.


End file.
